Australia 1916 M Threepence

Mint:	Melbourne	Mintage:	1,912,250	Milling:	Plain
Weight:	1.41 grams	Diameter:	16 mm	Composition:	92.5% Silver, 7.5% Copper

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Obverse 2 - English

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Reverse B - London

Designer:	Sir (Edgar) Bertram Mackennal (Initials 'B.M.' raised on truncation)
Design:	Left facing profile of George V
Legend:	GEORGIVS V D.G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP: •
Denticle Count:	121 teeth
Mint mark:	None

Designer:	William Henry James Blakemore (no attribution)
Design:	Star above a Kangaroo and Emu standing left and right of the Armorial Ensigns of the Commonwealth of Australia. 'ADVANCE AUSTRALIA' in ribbon below. ∋ ∈
Legend:	THREEPENCE
Denticle Count:	115 teeth
Mint mark:	'M' below date
Characteristics:	Upstroke of 'N' of 'THREEPENCE' aligns with a denticle

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Value

BM Ad NP	8 Good VG10	10 VG F12	12 about F F15	15 Fine VF20	20 good F VF25	25 about VF VF30	30 Very Fine VF35	35 good VF EF40	40 about EF EF45	45 Ext Fine AU50	50 good EF AU53	53 about Unc AU55	58+ virt Unc AU58	58-60 Uncirc MS60	58-61 Uncirc MS61	58-62 Uncirc MS62	63-64 Choice Unc MS63	64-65 near Gem MS64	65-66 Gem MS65	66-67 Gem MS66	67-68 Gem MS67	68 near Flaw MS68	69 virt Flaw MS69	70 Flawless MS70	Proof
B	BV + NGC PCGS	BV + NGC PCGS	BV + NGC PCGS	$5 + NGC PCGS	$8 + NGC PCGS	$12 + NGC PCGS 1	$25 + NGC PCGS 1	$40 + NGC 1 PCGS	$90 + NGC PCGS 1	$115 + NGC 2 PCGS 2	$200 + NGC 1 PCGS 4	$300 + NGC 3 PCGS 8	$750 + NGC 4 PCGS 6	$900 + NGC PCGS	$1250 + NGC PCGS 1	$2000 + NGC PCGS 7	$3000 + NGC 1 PCGS 10	$4000 + NGC 3 PCGS 7 1	$5500 + NGC 2 PCGS 5	$7500 + NGC 1 PCGS 2	$12500 + NGC PCGS 1	$20000 + NGC PCGS	- + NGC PCGS	- + NGC PCGS	Y

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Benchmark

Adjectival

NGC/PCGS

Collectable grades

Does not exist by definition

Investment grades

Unlikely to exist

Aspirational grades

Bullion or metal value

Not known in these grades

Value as above

Proof

Y (Yes)
N (Not known)

Last updated September 2024

Notes:

In 1916, the Melbourne Mint struck its first threepences on working dies prepared by the London Mint bearing an 'M' mint mark. This mark also appeared on threepences struck in 1917, 1918, 1919 and 1920 before it was dropped towards the end of the 1921 production. The Mint also issued a limited number (sixty) proofs of the threepence, sixpence, shilling and florin which were cased in a blue presentation box. The threepence and sixpence are easily recognisable as proof-strikes but the shilling and florin are better described as specimens.There is a theory that some, if not all, of the threepence and sixpence proofs were struck at the Royal Mint, London and that the Melbourne Mint struck the shilling and florin proofs to complete the sets. This would explain the variance in the quality of the strikes as the Melbourne Mint would have been using normal working dies, albeit under increased pressure, to strike the shilling and florin specimen/proofs. It has also been noted that the 1916 shillings that have been recognised as proofs have a 1 o'clock upset on the obverse, a mistake certainly the fault of the less experienced Melbourne Mint.